Botany and Ormiston Times : Howick and Botany Times Thursday February 5 2015

Contents

Thursday, February 5, 2015
Vol13,No5
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PM BULLISH
During a visit to the south-
east, Prime Minister John
Key painted a bright picture
of future opportunities
for members of GETBA
(Greater East Tamaki
Business Association).
Page 3
By Chris Harrowell
IAN Willetts brings a combination of
empathy, enthusiasm and experience
to his role as Ormiston’s new com-
munity police constable.
He starts in the position later this
month.
Working full-time, Mr Willetts
is based at Counties Manukau East
Police headquarters in Ormiston
Road, Flat Bush.
He takes over from police consta-
ble Phillip Toms, who left Auckland
last month to begin a one-year over-
seas deployment on Bougainville
Island near Papua New Guinea.
“Constable Toms put a lot of time
and effort into this role,” Mr Willetts
told the Times, about his hard work-
ing predecessor.
“Ormiston and Flat Bush are grow-
ing and developing communities and
have large new migrant populations.
“Those residents, like everyone,
want to be and feel safe in the area in
which they live.”
Mr Willetts served as a police
officer in England for seven years
before moving to New Zealand.
His most recent previous role was
as an inquiry officer within Counties
Manukau East Police’s investigations
group.
“As a community constable, you’re
the ‘face’ of the police,” he says.
“I want to be an officer who’s
approachable, so people have faith
they can come and talk to me and
their issues will be taken seriously.
“My intention is to be visible and
known to people who live within the
Ormiston community.”
Mr Willetts says the experience
of moving to a new country in 2003
gives him a perspective that will be a
valuable tool once he hits the ground
running.
“I’ve worked in diverse communi-
ties not only in the United Kingdom,
but also here in Counties Manukau,”
he says. “Being an immigrant to a
new country myself, I understand
the adjustments people face in that
situation.
“It enables you to have a diverse
outward perspective and to serve the
community as a people person.”
Mr Willetts and his family were
drawn to settle in New Zealand for a
number of reasons.
“It’s a great country to come and
live in and raise a family in a stable
environment,” he says.
“It was also an opportunity for us
to have an exciting adventure.”
Mr Willetts says he plans to main-
tain relationships established by Mr
Toms with Ormiston and Flat Bush
schools, business, community groups
and volunteers at the Fo Guang Shan
Buddhist temple.
“That’s all part of the portfolio,” he
says.
“By being approachable it will
hopefully make people know that I’m
personable.
“That will give them confidence
that they can discuss issues with me
and I will try to resolve their various
problems.
“It will also bring down calls for
front line police service, as those
officers don’t need to get tied up in
complex community issues.
“It’s going to be a challenge and I’m
keen to make a positive difference.
“Every Counties Manukau East
Police officer and staff member is
working extremely hard to help make
residents be and feel safe.”
New face on the beat
RATES increases and extra
household costs, coupled with
reduced quality of service and
financial strain placed on the super-
city’s coffers are among concerns
Howick ward councillors share about
the super-city’s 10-year Long-term
Plan.
Dick Quax and Sharon Stewart say
it’s critical the Pakuranga, Howick
and Botany householders have their
say on Auckland Council’s draft 10-
year budget for 2015-2025 which
went out for public consultation on
January 23.
The City Rail Link (CRL), they say,
is set to put the council’s budget
under considerable strain and many
important transport projects are
now delayed.
“We’ve also been told there will
be a reduction in the maintenance
of our roads and footpaths,” the
councillors say. “ The CRL is having
an impact on the budget that is not
well understood by the public.”
They say it’s irresponsible not to
wait to do the agreed business case
with the Government in 2017 and
for its funding to kick in from 2020.
“Instead we’re now flying into
this blind, with every other public
transport project now the very poor
distant cousin,” they say. “Let’s not
forget that 78 per cent of our public
transport users take the bus and,
according to Census 2013, just 1.6
per cent of Auckland commuters
take the train to work. Yet the Mayor
is planning to put almost all of the
eggs in the rail basket.”
Talk of a 3.5 per cent average
regional rate increase is a misnomer,
they say, with many Howick ward
residents paying more than 10 per
cent over last year.
“ There is a real possibility of a new
targeted rate being introduced as an
additional funding measure.”
The draft plan, they say, has a
low UAGC which will “sting folk
in higher-valued houses. This is
a chance to secure a higher fixed
component of rates to reflect that
all households have equal access
to council services, amenities and
infrastructure,” they say.
 Details about the proposed
Long-term Plan are on page 5.
Submissions can be made online
at www.shapeauckland.co.nz; on
social media; or on the summary
document form posted to all super-
city households.
cIty BUdget
Councillors
urge people
to speak up
Ian Willetts is excited to serve as Ormiston’s new community police constable.
Times photo Wayne Martin